A trip from Blenheim to Kaikoura down our most dramatic marine highway, which runs between the towering seaward Kaikoura Ranges and a wild and rocky coast, proved to be a foodie's delight.
Kekerengu, the mid-way point, is home to a renowned cafe, The Store.
Serving great snacks and regional food - lamb, venison, blue cod, mussels, salmon and my favourite, seafood chowder in a bread bowl - The Store is a perfect stopping-off point.
Five kilometers north of Kaikoura, we took a detour to the artisan Kaikoura Cheese Company (more details at www.kaikouracheese.co.nz).
Established two years ago by enterprising couple Daniel and Sara Jenkins, the company produces goat's-milk cheeses. At the Cheese Awards last March they won a medal for every cheese they entered. Lemon Labneh won champion of the flavoured cheese section; lemon, and Mediterranean herb, each won gold; saffron, and chilli, each won silver.
Kaikoura is aptly named - kai means food; koura is crayfish. Stalls selling this delicacy are dotted along the highway.
An interesting find was a beachside hotel and restaurant named The White Morph (www.whitemorph.co.nz).
The manager, Patrick Hampton, told us that the white morph is a type of great southern petrel with a 2m wingspan.
It is sometimes seen on winter bird- or whale-watching trips in winter.
Patrick, a chef and hospitality manager who worked his way around the world for 35 years - finally chose Kaikoura as home. "The seafood is abundant, crayfish, hapuku, monkfish (stargazer) and mackerel, to name a few. Close by is wine country, the Marlborough Sounds' salmon and mussel farms, deer are farmed in the vicinity and vegetables grow prolifically."
This year The White Morph won a NZ Beef & Lamb excellence award and our dinner was certainly a gourmet's delight.
RECIPES
CRISPY SEAFOOD SKEWERS WITH BAKED KUMARA CHIPS & LEMON LABNEH
Skewers: 600-700g skinned and boned thick, white fish such as hapuku, monkfish
3-4 tbsp plain flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 tsp fennel seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 tbsp rice bran oil
Baked Kumara Chips:
1 large orange kumara
2 tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 large cloves unpeeled garlic
1-2 tsp olive zing or dukkah
4-6 balls lemon labneh
Cut the fish into 3cm cubes. Thread about four cubes on to wooden skewers.
Dust with flour. Brush well with beaten egg. Combine the breadcrumbs and seasoning on a plate. Coat the skewers in the breadcrumbs then refrigerate to set.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C. Peel the kumara and cut into chunky chips. Combine with the oil and black pepper. Place on a shallow baking tray with the garlic. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning once, until cooked.
While the kumara cooks, heat the olive oil in a frying pan on medium. Pan-fry the skewers for about 6 or 7 minutes, turning often, until golden.
Serve the skewers beside the chips - sprinkled with olive zing or dukkah - and the garlic. Serve with lime or lemon wedges.
Serves 4
KAIKOURA CHOWDER
1 each: small carrot, onion, celery stalk, diced
50g butter
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine
1 litre fish stock
50g butter, softened
5 tbsp flour
1 cup each: scallops (12), cubed hapuku (groper), diced mussels, cream
3 tbsp each: chopped fennel fronds, lemon juice, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute the carrot, onion and celery in the butter on low heat until softened. Add the bay leaf, wine and fish stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes.
Mix the butter and flour until well combined. Gradually whisk into the soup. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring often. Gently stir in the scallops, hapuku and mussels. Add cream, fennel and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat immediately. Discard the bay. Season.
Serves 6
TROPICAL CRAYFISH SALAD
1 medium crayfish, cooked
2 shallots, diced
1 green pepper
2 cups baby salad greens
1/2 pawpaw or 1 mango
Dressing: 1/4 cup each: mayonnaise, sour cream
1 tbsp chilli sauce
Using a heavy knife, cut the crayfish in half through the centre of the body from the head to tail. Scoop out the flesh and break into small pieces or cut into cubes. Break open claws, pull out flesh and cut up.
Stand the shallots in icy water for 30 minutes to crisp. Drain. Seed and dice the pepper. Wash the salad greens, shake dry and crisp in the refrigerator. Peel, seed and dice the pawpaw or mango.
Combine the ingredients for the dressing.
Combine the crayfish, green pepper and fruit just before serving. Place on the salad greens and top with a dollop of the dressing.
Serves 4 as a starter
SURF & TURF
2 farm-raised venison steaks, about 440g
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup venison or beef jus
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
12 scallops
Pat-dry the venison steaks, if necessary and ensure they are at room temperature before cooking. Season. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high. Fry for about 3 minutes each side, or to your liking. Put aside, tenting with foil to keep warm.
Add a splash of water to the pan and pour in the jus. Bring to the boil, strain and keep warm.
Combine garlic and parsley with the remaining olive oil. Heat in pan on medium. Pan-fry scallops for 2 minutes, turning once. Season.
Serve the steaks with the scallops on the side. Spoon a little jus over the steaks. Excellent served with boiled baby potatoes and green beans.
Serves 4